I had my Aquahot serviced just before I anchored the coach for the winter, and the nozzle was changed as being worn out??
It is 3yrs old and is only used in the summer months for relativly short trips. It did smoke on start-up.
Jet engines have similar fuel nozzles and they get coked up and can be cleaned. What is the story about such a short life with these nozzles??
Brian.
There is a bronze filter attached to the nozzle that can get pugged up. The nozzles themselves aren't that expensive it is the labor. I change mine and clean the combustion chamber every year.
Brian, the recommended service interval for the AH is 12 months. If you are full timing and doing a lot of off-grid camping on the diesel side then this is what should be done. If you are like us and actually use your coach 5-7 months a year (time on the road) and the diesel side gets used infrequently (but once a month anyway) then every other year might be appropriate. The annual service is essentially new filter, a new nozzle and cleaning, adjustments and inspection. The inspection part is important to check for leaks (coolant or fuel) and cracks in the combustion chamber. If you have Rudy or John Carrillo do it is will be around $200 and it takes about an hour. You can do it yourself, the first time (like most first time things) is harder to do an time consuming but it is a good learning thing.
If you are storing the coach for even a couple of months be sure to add biocide to your fuel and run the AH, gen and engine to get the biocide through the lines, filters and the rest of the system.
Rudy might pop in here with a comment too. John Carrillo is in the Denver area.
The once a month exercise will prevent the wax build up on the nozzle and keep things running smoother when you need it.
Thank you,
I was aware of the fuel gelling when the AH is not used, but could not see how the nozzle could wear out with little use. I can now see that the filter attached to the nozzle could get blocked so what to soak the thing in???
John Carrillo supplied the AH a few years ago and was great to work with.
Brian.
If it gets clogged up with black algae bits just get a new one. Otherwise my all purpose cleaner is spray on brake cleaner. A good degreaser, doesn't leave much residue and dries quickly.
I second running through one diesel heating cycle per month year round.
If the burner is serviced and then left off for months on end, the service was a wasted effort due to gelling while off.
I understand that part so if it is standing for several months, winter, and is winterized can you run the AH with the Pink stuff in the system??
Brian
That is correct. as long as you have the proper coolant mixture in the Aqua Hot tank you may safely use it. It does not require water or the pink stuff in the water system to use it. However, the Aqua-Hot does require the pink stuff in the water system in order to protect it from freezing temperatures. Blowing air through the water system will not protect the coils in the Aqua-Hot from freezing.
Thank you,
My system including the AH are full of the Pink stuff for the duration of the cool weather here in Montana, and the AH anti freeze fluid is full as well.
Brian.
We "old timers" don't have that system, though it sounds great. Have any members installed that system in one of our coaches without taking the coach buck stash away?
OK Folks,
I just went out and ran the AH, there not being too much snow today!! It ran fine with initial smoke that soon cleared.
The advice of running them little and ofter is very sound.
My cleaning fluid of choice when i clean the old nozzle is MEK, but Brake Cleaner or Choke Cleaner should do just as well.
I just couldn't see how a little used nozzle could be "worn out" but I can see how the filter could get clogged.
Thanks to All.
Brian.
This is what was in the Fortravel I just bought on the left, on the right is what a new one looks like
The nozzle on the left is a Hago brand nozzle used for years that became problematic and has not been used by AH for several years. The one on the right is the current choice, a Danfoss brand nozzle.
Both nozzles meet spec on paper. I only use the Danfoss which is the one sold by AH.
It has Wabasto stamped on it and who knows how long ago it was changed. I drove from Los Angeles on Oct. 31 with a Jeep and a tow bar to look at a Fortravel in South Carolina. I knew after looking at the coach it needed some serious help. I took a chance and hooked up the Jeep and drove 2,470 miles back home without the ride height working or the Generator and Aqua -Hot.
As of today all is working except for a broken right headlight frame. The problem with the Aqua-Hot was fuel line and Nozzle.
Craneman,
Did you also brush out the burn chamber, brush the combustion chamber and clean the flame sensor? If not, you are probably okay but would have been done in a formal Annual Service Procedure.
I did all that and checked the fuel pump pressure and the rpm of the motor while hooked to the combustion chamber. I bought one of the electronic tachs that you use a piece of tape and can read anything. I have a 1996 Monaco Signature that I will be selling and made up the pressure gauge by drilling and tapping a 1/8th pipe thread into the front of the nozzle to keep it serviced as living in Los Angeles there was no close servicing facilities. I am sure you are familiar with Roger Burke his web site and the knowledge it provided taught me how to do everything except changing the combustion chamber. The Monaco uses about a half gallon a year leaking out the combustion chamber and the cost to rebuild it was $6,000. I will let the new owner make the decision whether to just keep adding coolant or paying for the rebuild. The $6,000. does not include labor.
I second the MEK for cleaning fuel/carbon off of things.
Be very careful with MEK. It is nasty stuff. It causes eye and nose irritaion and exposure to it can make you much more sensitive to the toxicity of other solvents. This is well documented in the composites industry. Repeated exposure can lead to hypersensitivity to epoxy resins. It has also been linked to reports of neuropsychological effects. Wear gloves, eye protection and a respirator.
All that said, brake cleaner is probably not much better for you.
Thank you Roger,
I know the issues with MEK and when I was an apprentice (long time ago) in the airline industry we used to wash the parts in the stuff using our bare hands, No gloves in those days!! But, I survived. We also used Tricoethalene the same way which these days would be unheard of.
As for cleaning the nozzles I have just heard from John Carillo who is one of the AH technicians out there. John says the old nozzles were made of steel and the new ones, like mine, are brass and the brass get erroded with the fuel flow. He has tried cleaning them in brake fluid and only got about a 50% sucess rate, so forget it and pay up, was his advice.
Brian.